What is going wrong with my photo processing (wavy bands)

[arthurq]

this was fuji superia 1600 on a 40mm/1.4 Nokton using a Bessa R4M.

This was visible on every shot of this roll, but only barely in one or 2 very underexposed shots on a roll of kodak gold I had developed at the same place.

The drugstore I took this to is by far the cheapest in town, so if I can somehow help them diagnose and fix the problem, I'd be doing a favour for many local shooters. Of course, If it's just that the machine is old and f'ed up, well...

(Since I know there are some other vancouverites on this forum, it's the shoppers drugmart on laurel and broadway in vancouver, canada. They charge 2.99 for a process and scan and are usually done in 45 minutes)

thanks!

 

[newsgrunt]

linked photo is missing

 

[DNG]

Looks like it may dirty rollers in the machine. There are dozens in those things. And the film travels from the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank many times.

 

[BTMarcais]

If it were the rollers in the machine, I'd expect the marks to be in the other direction, running horizontally (in the direction of travel through the processor).

These marks look like what you get when the film is physically stressed heavily, usually during winding or rewinding. Is it on all frames? or just the ones towards the end of the roll?

-Brian

 

[kzphoto]

I'd say stress marks as well. Are you using a motor winder?

 

[kzphoto]

Could also be the machine used to produce the scans. Do you notice these marks on your negs?

 

[DNG]

If it were the rollers in the machine, I'd expect the marks to be in the other direction, running horizontally (in the direction of travel through the processor).

The marks are on the short side...the rollers are running left to right to the short side, not up and down. You load it with a clip on one end and the film runs from the top roller set and changes direction to go DOWN to the the base of the tank and makes a "U" turn to travel UP again, many times.

These marks look like what you get when the film is physically stressed heavily, usually during winding or rewinding. Is it on all frames? or just the ones towards the end of the roll?

Might be a possibility...

-Brian

But, Can it be repeated... if another lab leaves no marks... it may be the poor maintenance in the other lab.

Extra care should be taken when rewinding...to try to have standard elements on the user end.

 

[Finder]

I have never heard of "stress marks" caused by a winder. Film is very strong and dimensionally stable.

It looks like processing marks.

 

[arthurq]

If it were the rollers in the machine, I'd expect the marks to be in the other direction, running horizontally (in the direction of travel through the processor).

These marks look like what you get when the film is physically stressed heavily, usually during winding or rewinding. Is it on all frames? or just the ones towards the end of the roll?

-Brian

Just got a report from another photographer that this is happening to him when he develops at this place as well. He was using fuji superia 400 in some other kind of camera.

So it's pretty much a given that its the machine, not the camera. This is happening on all frames.